The Six Kings Slam has been postponed from Oct. 21-24 to Dec. 27-30, pushing the high-profile exhibition event back by about two months as Saudi Arabia deals with mounting security and logistics issues. The third edition of the tournament was set to feature Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, Taylor Fritz, Learner Tien and Alex de Minaur.
Turki al-Sheikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, said the event was moved for “organisational and logistical challenges,” with the broader backdrop including attacks by Yemen’s Houthis. Saudi Arabia has faced missile strikes on airports and energy facilities, and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces have launched a counteroffensive in Yemen in recent days.
What changed for the tournament
The Six Kings Slam had originally been scheduled for Oct. 21-24, but it will now take place Dec. 27-30. That shift matters because the event is one of Saudi Arabia’s most visible tennis showcases and had been positioned as a late-October highlight on the calendar.
The delay also affects the tournament’s place in a crowded sports schedule. Earlier in the week, Saudi organisers postponed three Saudi Pro League fixtures, including matches involving Al Hilal, Al Riyadh, Al Ittihad, Al Shabab, Al Ahli and Al-Nassr. Al-Nassr’s AFC Champions League match against Neftchi Fergana in Riyadh was delayed by an hour on Monday after an intercepted missile.
Broader impact on Saudi sports
The tennis postponement is part of a wider pattern. The Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah, which had been slated for April, was cancelled, and next month’s WTA Finals were scheduled for Riyadh before being moved to Indian Wells in the US.
That leaves Saudi Arabia’s sporting programme under clear pressure. The country has invested heavily in major events across tennis, football and motorsport, but the recent disruption has forced organisers to change dates, venues and plans more than once.
For the Six Kings Slam, the main takeaway is simple: the players are still expected to be there, but the showcase is now a December event instead of an October one. Saudi organisers will hope the new dates provide a more stable runway for an event that is meant to bring star power, not scheduling uncertainty, to Riyadh.
